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Blake Wheeler won’t need to deal with the stress of a goal-scoring drought to open this season.

The Winnipeg Jets right-winger got on the board in the third game of 2013, converting a perfect pass from Evander Kane at 14:26 of the second period in what turned out to be the winning goal in a 4-2 triumph over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

“It’s always nice to get that first one out of the way,” said Wheeler, who led the Jets in scoring last season but didn’t record his first goal until Game 19. “I don’t think anyone was happy with their game the first night. I thought I got a little bit better in Boston (Monday).

“For me, that’s the biggest thing, just simplify things, try to play physical, work within the system and things will happen.”

The goal itself was a thing of beauty, with Kane chipping the puck past Capitals defenceman John Carlson to create a 2-on-1 rush.

Rather than shoot the puck, Kane rifled a cross-ice pass to Wheeler, who one-timed before Capitals goalie Braden Holtby could slide across the crease.

“A lot of D try to step up on me and try to take my speed away, sometimes you’ve just got to chip it by him and go around him,” said Kane. “I knew Wheels was there because he’s a fast guy. I just threw it across and he was able to put it in the open net.”

As Jets head coach Claude Noel juggled his lines, Wheeler found himself with Kane and Olli Jokinen and the trio clicked immediately.

Jokinen was kept off the board, but Wheeler and Kane had a goal and an assist for their first points of the season.

“ It’s a good start for us, we had never been put together as a unit,” said Wheeler. “Sometimes that can be a little bit difficult, you don’t really know what to expect out of each other. We’re all just trying to play that speed game, get pucks deep, get in on the forecheck and try to create some chances that way and it’s always nice to capitalize.”

“We probably had 30 games together last year and we’re two guys who are pretty strong, with a lot of speed,” added Kane. “You throw Olli in there and it’s a triple-threat combination.”

As Advertised in the Winnipeg SUN

Wheeler-Kane combination looks like a winner for Winnipeg Jets

Blake Wheeler won’t need to deal with the stress of a goal-scoring drought to open this season.

The Winnipeg Jets right-winger got on the board in the third game of 2013, converting a perfect pass from Evander Kane at 14:26 of the second period in what turned out to be the winning goal in a 4-2 triumph over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

“It’s always nice to get that first one out of the way,” said Wheeler, who led the Jets in scoring last season but didn’t record his first goal until Game 19. “I don’t think anyone was happy with their game the first night. I thought I got a little bit better in Boston (Monday).

“For me, that’s the biggest thing, just simplify things, try to play physical, work within the system and things will happen.”

The goal itself was a thing of beauty, with Kane chipping the puck past Capitals defenceman John Carlson to create a 2-on-1 rush.